Safety guard for electrical outlets



Nov. 1, 1955 H. H. SAUDER SAFETY GUARD FOR ELECTRICAL OUTLETS Filed April 28, 1954 Fig.1

Fig. 2.

INVENTO HaroldHSau er SAFETY GUARD FOR ELECTRICAL OUTLETS Harold, H. Sander, Heron Lake, Minn.

Application April 28, 1954, Serial No. 426,242

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-36) This invention relates to electrical installations particularly as used in residences and the like, and in particular a guard or cover for electrical outlets or wall sockets, such as provided in walls and positioned relatively close to the floor for receiving plugs of electrical lamps and other electrical appliances or equipment, whereby it is substantially impossible for a child to stick hairpins or the like into the sockets, or draw a plug part of the way out of a socket and touch the prongs thereof with his fingers.

The purpose of this invention is to prevent accidents and particularly injury to small children playing on the floor and, consequently, being in a position to receive an electric shock by contacting, with hairpins and the like live terminals in electric outlets positioned around the lower part of a wall.

Numerous single and multiple outlets are exposed in residences and children are continuously being injured and sometimes killed by making contact with live contacts in the outlets, and even though various types of shields and other devices have been developed for protecting children from the contacts such devices are very seldom used because they require special construction or do not present a neat and attractive appearance.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a shield, substantially semi-circular in cross section having sloping slots therein and also having inwardly extended flanges on the edges whereby with the flanges held under the edges of a flush or face plate of an outlet, and cords of plugs in the outlet extended through the slots the plugs are inaccessible, and where plugs are not positioned in the outlet the shield provides a cover for the sockets thereof.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a shield for electrical outlets or wall sockets to prevent small children making contact with terminals of the outlets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective shield or cover for electrical outlets in which the device is adapted to be installed on outlets now in use.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a shield for electrical outlets whereby it is impossible for a child to make contact with a live terminal of the outlet with the outlet containing a plug or plugs or with the plug or plugs removed.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a protective shield for an electrical outlet in which the shield is adapted to be readily removed to facilitate inserting a plug in the outlet or to permit a plug to be removed from the outlet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shield for protecting children from live terminals of electrical outlet boxes in which the shield is formed with a single piece of material and does not require screws, bolts, or other fastening means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a protecting shield for wall sockets and the like in which the shield is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a relatively thin sheet of plastic,

arcuate in cross section and having inwardly extended flanges on the sides, and in which an opening for a screw driver andslots for cords of plugs are provided in the wall and flanges thereof.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the shield showing the shield in position on an outlet box with cords of plugs in the outlet box extended through slots of the shield and with parts of the outlet box and wall shown in section.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view showing the shape of the shield.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the shield.

Figure 4 is a view looking toward the back of the shield showing the flanges on the sides thereof.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above referred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any way departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is ,to be limited only in accordance with the appended claim. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout and in which the numeral It) refers to the invention in its entirety, numeral 12 referring to the outer arcuate portion of the shield, numerals 14 and 16 flanges on the sides of the shield, numeral 18 an opening in the center of the shield for a screw driver or the like, and numerals 20 and 22 diagonally positioned slots in the shield and extending from points 24 and 26 at the center to openings 28 and 30, respectively, through the flanges.

With the body of the shield formed in this manner the flanges may readily be inserted under the portions of a continuous flange 32 at the sides of a flush or face plate 34 of an electrical outlet 36, by loosening the screw 38 at the center of the outlet, that secures the flush plate in position on the outlet. After the flanges are in position the screw is tightened and the shield is secured in position.

To insert a plug or plugs in the outlet the screw 38 is loosened, the shield removed, the plug or plugs inserted, and the shield replaced. The shield is, therefore, adapted to prevent a child inserting hairpins and the like in the prong receiving sockets with the plugs removed, and will also prevent a child partly withdrawing a plug and touching the prongs thereof with his fingers.

As shown in Figure 1, the electrical outlet box 36 is installed in an opening 40 in a wall, as indicated by the numeral 42. Such outlets are usually positioned close to the floor and sometimes in a baseboard, and with the shields in position an infant crawling on the floor will not injure himself by contacting live terminals of the outlets.

From the foregoing specification, it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details and parts, such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

In a protective shield for an electrical outlet or wall socket, the combination which comprises an elongated body, substantially semi-circular in cross section, and having inwardly extended flanges on the edges, said flanges being adapted to be inserted under the edges of a face plate of a wall socket for retaining the shield in position over the socket, the outer or center portion of said body having a screw driver receiving opening therein and said screw driver receiving opening being positioned midway between the ends of the body, and said body also having electric cord receiving openings therein and said electric cord receiving openings being spaced from the screw driver receiving openings and positioned to register with the centcrs of the plug receiving sockets of the wall socket upon which the body is positioned, said electric cord receiving openings having oppositely disposed diagonally positioned slots extended therefrom and said diagonally positioned slots extending through edges of the body and also through the flanges on the edges thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

